


Wiggums

by geekyjez



Series: Isii Lavellan (Non-Canon AUs) [11]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: AU, Anders at Skyhold, Anders in Inquisition, F/M, Fluff, but who's counting, plus some non-explicit naked cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-05-21
Packaged: 2018-03-31 12:53:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3978778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geekyjez/pseuds/geekyjez
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders talked Hawke into letting him go with her to Skyhold. Someone has given him a rather warm welcome in the form of a furry, adorable kitten. Unfortunately, his gift giver doesn't exactly know when to stop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wiggums

**Author's Note:**

> _Combining two tumblr prompts: “What if Cullen and Anders met in Skyhold and a cat was involved?” and "Cole + Anders - A Gift"._

Anders gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll go unpack, get our things settled.”

Mariah frowned, biting her lip. “I should come with you-”

“You don’t have to watch over me, love,” he murmured, lowering his voice. “We’re supposed to be guests here, right? They’re not going to haul me off in chains. Varric gave his word that we’d be safe.”

“He gave his word that _I_ would be safe,” Hawke said, glancing around briefly to make certain that no one was listening in. “The Inquisitor might overlook my involvement, but I have no idea what she thinks of-”

“Everything’s going to be ok,” he said, cutting her off. He leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. “Besides, if anyone tries to make a move on me, you’ll hear it from the battlements. I’ll be sure to make a fuss. Cullen will have one serious headache by the time I’m through.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “Promise?”

“Promise.” She kissed him and he gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze. “Go on. Don’t keep Varric waiting.”

It did not take him long to make his way back to the quarters they’d been given that morning. It was a rather small room for two. The bed took up so much space that there was barely enough room to open the doors to the wardrobe the Inquisition provided for their use. Still, it was a step up from some of the places they’d been drifting through since Kirkwall.

Their belongings had been dropped unceremoniously in the center of the floor and he set to work dragging the bags and chests off to the sides, prying them open. Having the entirety of their lives fit within just a few containers felt all-too familiar, like the years he spent running from the Circles. It stung a little still, considering all the things she left behind for him. Even so, he wasn’t hurting for lack of material wealth. He had her. In the end, that was all he really needed.

He took an armload of clothing out of one of the chests, tossing it to the bed and opening the wardrobe in order to hang them up. He stopped, startled as he found the small furry face looking up at him.

“What are you doing in there, little one?” he asked softly, tossing the clothing aside to crouch down next to the kitten that sat curled up at the bottom of the wardrobe. It purred happily when he reached out to pet its scruff, his fingers finding a thin piece of twine tied loosely around its neck. He pulled on it, finding it looped through a small piece of paper that the cat had been laying on. He frowned, gently picking the kitten up and tucking it against his chest, slipping the cord from around its throat.

The note on the string was simple, written in a shaky and childish script:

_He looks like your friend from the Circle. You could use another friend._

Anders peered at it curiously before looking down at the cat. “You do look a bit like Mr. Wiggums, don’t you?” he asked, brushing the tip of his finger along the length of its nose. The kitten snuggled contentedly against his chest, intent on going back to sleep. _Who here would have known about Mr. Wiggums?_ Mariah knew the name, but she didn’t know what the cat had looked like. Cullen had been with him at Kinloch Hold, but…

Had Cullen really gotten him a cat?

Anders cradled the kitten as he carefully rose to his feet, setting it gently on the bed. It let out an irritated chirp, but with a few strokes along its back it settled again. He returned to his task, a small smile on his face as he unpacked their belongings into a room that now felt at least a little more like a proper home.

* * *

 

Cullen frowned, slowing his pace. The mage had his knee braced against the stone, leaning precariously over the edge of the battlements with his hand outstretched. A small cat sat just outside of his reach along one of the nearby walls, looking down at him unperturbed.

“Do I even want to know?”

Anders turned to glance over his shoulder, startled before settling into a strained expression. “Knight-Captain,” he greeted him tersely, turning back to the kitten.

“Commander,” he corrected.

“Sure. Fine,” Anders muttered. He went back to cooing at the cat, trying to coax it down.

Cullen watched him for a time. It had been roughly four years since he’d last seen the mage. He was thinner than he remembered, the heavy shadow of stubble not quite hiding the gaunt hollow of his cheeks. His hair was longer, pulled back and bound. Even so, there would be no mistaking him – particularly with those ridiculous feathers he still wore about his shoulders.

“Step back,” Cullen said, approaching. Anders frowned at him.

“What, like you’ll reach him when I can’t?” Still, he did not resist as the Commander pushed past him, bracing his foot against one of the breaks in the stone wall and hefting himself up. Armor scraped and he wobbled slightly, balancing himself with his other foot against the edge of the battlement as he reached up and grabbed the cat by the scruff. He could hear soft, feminine laughter as he awkwardly lowered himself from the wall. He turned to see the Inquisitor leaning against the nearby doorframe.

“Good to know you’d risk throwing yourself off the walls of Skyhold for a kitten, Cullen,” the elf teased, grinning. He pursed his lips, placing the wriggling cat back into the waiting arms of Anders. Isii pointed to Cullen, glancing at the mage. “Do you mind if I borrow him?”

“Not at all,” Anders said with a shake of his head.

“Join me in your office, then?”

“Of course, Inquisitor,” Cullen answered. Isii made a face. He knew she disliked him using her title, yet it only felt appropriate when in the presence of someone who was not a part of their inner circle. He walked a few paces, following her as she disappeared back through the doorway.

“Cullen.”

He paused, glancing back to Anders who was peering at him strangely, petting the cat. “Did you leave him in my room?”

“What?”

Anders’s brow tightened, gesturing with the kitten. “The cat. He had a note with him. I thought… I thought you left him there because he looked like Mr. Wiggums.”

“Mr. Wiggums?” Cullen frowned, confused, his eyes shifting between the kitten and the mage a few times before a slow clarity crept into his features. “You mean the mouser at Kinloch?” Anders nodded. “You named it _Mr. Wiggums_?” He asked incredulously. He stared at Anders for a few moments before shaking his head. “No. It wasn’t from me. Nor would it be.”

Anders was still frowning, looking curiously at the kitten when Cullen turned to catch up with the Inquisitor.

* * *

 

Hawke let out an exhausted sigh, stretching contentedly along his side. “Alright, you’ve convinced me,” she cooed, her nails tracing slow circles against his bare chest. “It was a good idea to have you come along.”

He chuckled, tightening his arm around her, enjoying the press of her naked body against his. “Have I, now?”

She nodded, slipping her leg between his own. “I would have missed this.”

“Well at least I’m earning my keep somehow.” She laughed, burying her face against his chest before pressing a kiss to his lips. Their embrace was unhurried, lying together wordlessly for a time until he heard the soft scratching at the door. Anders glanced over, the door rattling as he saw a small white paw peek in from under it, anxiously clawing at the wood. He slowly pulled himself away from Hawke, slipping on his smalls. His lover groaned, unwilling to move and yet succeeding in awkwardly pulling the sheets up around herself by the time he opened the door.

Two cats strolled in.

Anders frowned as Wiggums the Second entered, trailed by another kitten. The cat had a piece of twine around its neck with a note, just like the first. It took a little effort to scoop the cat up into his arms, its tiny claws digging into him as he slipped the cord from its neck.

_Your friend needed a friend._

Hawke sat up. “Wait, there are two of them now?”

Anders closed the door, handing her the note. “Seems like someone wants us to feel right at home, pets and all.”

Hawke frowned at the scrap of paper, shrugging. “Guess I’ve had worse welcomes. Now come on. Back under the covers, you. The bed’s getting cold.”

He grinned. “If I must,” he murmured, crawling back into place beside her as she held the blankets back for him.

“Oh you must,” she giggled, pressing her lips to his, scratching lightly at his stubble with her fingertips. “You absolutely must.”

* * *

 

Isii had her face buried in her hands, laughing. Hawke looked at her across the table in the tavern, annoyed. “I’m serious. Two was enough, but now there are seven. We’ve found them in our wardrobe, under our bed, lingering outside our room…”

“Sorry,” the Inquisitor said, trying to choke back her amusement. “Sorry. I could see how that’s beginning to become a problem.” She tried to hide her stifled chuckling with her tankard, taking another sip of her drink.

“And the notes just keep getting weirder; referencing things that aren’t exactly public knowledge. They’re never signed. We have no idea who’s behind this…”

“Trust me. I know,” Isii said with a nod. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you,” Mariah said with a sigh. “It’s going to be hard enough convincing him not to keep all of them as it is. I don’t need to add any more to the pile.”

* * *

 

“But he _likes_ cats. They make him happy.”

Isii kept her lips pursed, trying not to grin. “Do you understand the concept of _‘too much of a good thing,’_ Cole?” The spirit looked at her wide-eyed, shaking his head. She couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course you wouldn’t.”

“They’re good friends to him. Small. Quiet. They spend time alone together. They don’t talk. The Ander never talked…”

“Cole, focus.” The boy fell silent, lowering his gaze. “I’m not mad. You did a nice thing. But he won’t be able to take care of them all. You need to stop leaving cats in their room, alright?”

“Alright.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”


End file.
